Medical Certificate
A medical certificate from the doctor is not required by law up to the first 5 days of any sickness.  This period of time is to be covered by completing a self-certificate which can be obtained from the surgery or your employer. Should any illness continue for more than 5 days, you will need to see a doctor to obtain a medical certificate or Med 3. Following a stay in hospital, the hospital will provide a note to cover the period of time as an in-patient if that exceeds 5 days. Thereafter the GP can supply a sick note or Med 5 on the basis of a written report or discharge summary from the hospital. It may not be necessary to see a GP for this. Should there be a delay in receiving such a report from the hospital a GP can backdate a sick note as required.

Colds and Coughs
Colds, and many coughs, sore throats and earaches, are caused by viral infections. Antibiotics are not effective and if used inappropriately can cause harm. Most patients recover from these illnesses without seeking medical attention, relieving symptoms by taking regular doses of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (where appropriate) together with drinking plenty of fluids.

Earache in Children is particularly common, again it rarely requires any treatment other than Calpol, but if it persists for longer than 3 days further treatment may be necessary.

In cases of doubt, or if someone feels unusually unwell, we are always pleased to advise whether or not such illnesses require specific treatment, and the doctor or nurse can provide further information on self-care.

High Temperature
Children commonly have high temperatures due to viral illness. Only a persistent high temperature would need to be seen by a GP. Regular Calpol and/or Junior Neurofen, stripping off and tepid sponging usually helps to reduce a temperature and subsequently makes a child feel better.

Back pain
Back pain is a common condition that affects most adults at some point in their lives. Episodes are usually short-lived. Take regular doses of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (if appropriate) to relieve pain. It is important to keep mobile, but you should avoid activities such as lifting. If the symptoms persist for more than a few days you should consult your doctor. See your doctor promptly if you have pain down a leg as well, or urgently if the control of the bladder or bowels is affected.

Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is often infectious, and will usually resolve without specific treatment. For adults and older children, drink plenty of fluids and use medication from the pharmacist to calm diarrhoea if required. 

Diarrhoea persisting longer than 1 week may need investigation.
 
Burns
Apply lots of cold water to the area until the pain subsides, which might take 15 minutes. If the skin is blistered but unbroken, apply a loose dry dressing. If the burn is bigger than 5 inches across, or if the skin is broken, consult your doctor or nurse promptly. Children with burns should be brought to the doctor.

Sunburn
Everyone should take care in the sun, children and those with fair skins especially. Use high factor sun protection creams, wear loose clothing and a hat, stay out of strong sun especially in the middle of the day. If you do overdo it, cover up and stay out of the sun, treat any burns as detailed above, and consult your doctor or nurse if serious burns.

Insect bites and stings
These are generally harmless, if painful. Apply an ice cube or cold compress to reduce redness and pain. Antihistamine creams, or hydrocortisone cream, can be obtained from the pharmacist and can be helpful. Occasionally bites or stings give rise to a severe reaction, in which case seek urgent medical help.

Head lice
These creatures prefer clean hair and are not a sign of poor personal hygiene. They spread by head to head contact, so are common in schoolchildren and among family members of an affected person. The only reliable indication of active infestation is to find live adult lice, most commonly at the nape of the neck or behind the ears. ‘Nits’ are hatched eggs and do not mean there is an active infestation. Wet combing with conditioner and a fine ‘nit’ comb every three days for two weeks will clear lice in a third of cases – all family members should do this. Treatments are available from the pharmacist or doctor if this fails.